Citrix Gateway vs SonicWall Netextender comparison

Citrix and SonicWall are both solutions in the Enterprise Infrastructure VPN category. Citrix is ranked #11 with an average rating of 8.3, while SonicWall is ranked #13 with an average rating of 7.0. Citrix holds a 3.3% mindshare in EIV, compared to SonicWall’s 3.3% mindshare. Additionally, 92% of Citrix users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 70% of SonicWall users who would recommend it.

Citrix Gateway

Read 39 Citrix Gateway reviews

2,138 Views
1,732 Comparison Views

92% willing to recommend

SonicWall Netextender

Read 14 SonicWall Netextender reviews

2,514 Views
2,514 Comparison Views

70% willing to recommend

Citrix Gateway

SonicWall Netextender

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 6, 2024

Citrix Gateway and SonicWall Netextender compete in remote access technology. SonicWall Netextender has the upper hand due to its more extensive feature set.

Features: Citrix Gateway offers seamless integration with existing infrastructure, stable performance, and efficient setup. SonicWall Netextender provides comprehensive security features, robust network management tools, and advanced capabilities.

Room for Improvement: Citrix Gateway needs enhanced mobile support, quicker updates, and a more modern user interface. SonicWall Netextender requires improved stability, a more intuitive configuration process, and better real-time monitoring.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Citrix Gateway has straightforward deployment and a responsive support team. SonicWall Netextender's deployment is more complex but has positive customer service feedback for issue resolution.

Pricing and ROI: Citrix Gateway has competitive setup costs with favorable ROI. SonicWall Netextender has higher upfront costs but its extensive features offer enhanced ROI over time.

To learn more, read our detailed Citrix Gateway vs. SonicWall Netextender Report (Updated: December 2025).

Buyer's Guide

Citrix Gateway vs. SonicWall Netextender

December 2025

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Helped 881,114 peers since 2012

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Categories and Ranking

Citrix Gateway

Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

11th

Average Rating

8.2

Reviews Sentiment

6.5

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

Universal Access Gateways (1st), SSL VPN (4th)

SonicWall Netextender

Ranking in Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

13th

Average Rating

7.0

Reviews Sentiment

6.3

Number of Reviews

Ranking in other categories

No ranking in other categories

Mindshare comparison

As of January 2026, in the Enterprise Infrastructure VPN category, the mindshare of Citrix Gateway is 3.3%, up from 3.0% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of SonicWall Netextender is 3.3%, down from 3.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Enterprise Infrastructure VPN Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Citrix Gateway	3.3%
SonicWall Netextender	3.3%
Other	93.4%

Enterprise Infrastructure VPN

Featured Reviews

Siva Kuppala

Enterprise Architect at Wipro Limited

Strong security and versatile features drive positive experience, but support responsiveness can improve

The main purpose of Citrix Gateway is to enforce the appropriate level of access to the correct user on the proper device under the correct conditions. This is enabled through Citrix Gateway combined with endpoint analysis and optional Citrix analytics for security. Regarding improvements, implementing adaptive access policies on Citrix Gateway could be enhanced, particularly in security posture. Although it enforces real-time contextual access control based on device, user network risk, certain aspects can be improved. Other areas for improvement include BYOD access control and risk-based decision-making. Additionally, there is potential for reducing administrative overhead by applying policies dynamically based on context rather than static rules. Incident response speed is another area that could be enhanced.

Read full review

Rich Darress

Chief Operating Officer at Darress Tech

Has provided secure remote access to multiple client networks with consistent performance

When buying the appliance itself, there is one downside that isn't exclusive to SonicWall. When you apply all the security settings, many people have one gig connections for internet ISP. If you're bringing in a one gig connection, you have to have a more robust SonicWall to handle that throughput with all your security settings turned on. It gets pretty pricey upfront if you're bringing in a one gig connection. If the customer starts with a two, three, four, or 500 meg connection and has a small unit, they have to replace the whole box when upgrading to a gig, so scalability there is atrocious. However, this issue exists with pretty much any appliance.

Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:

Pros

"The features that we have found most valuable are the web app support and VPN."

"The solution is very stable. If I were to rate it out of ten, I would give stability a nine."

"It adds great security to your outfacing information."

"Citrix Gateway improved the security of the access of our applications outside the network."

"The initial setup is simple. Normally with all setups, it's not very complicated. It really depends on the customer."

"What I find most valuable about this solution, is that it runs seamlessly."

"The solution is stable."

"For our use case, it was scalable. There were at least 25 end users using this solution from remote locations. And once the connection was established, there weren't any complaints."

More Citrix Gateway pros

"My company opted for this solution because it can individually perform. Basically, we don't require load balancers and all those additional feature sets or additional devices that might be required. The solution can handle the certificate, DNS queries, and all that stuff individually."

"I found nothing of value in this solution."

"The initial setup is pretty easy."

"The product has two-factor authentication."

"The solution provides high availability."

"Employees can have access to the network from home."

"The SSL-VPN encryption has been fantastic for my organization's data confidentiality and integrity; we've done extensive testing with third-party cybersecurity testing while connected and it has passed with flying colors."

"NetExtender works very well. I never had an issue with it, and it has been working well for me. In terms of management, you have good control over the destination. You can use NetExtender to set the policy and the static route for a client. You can modify it based on what your client needs or can access. You have good control over routing."

More SonicWall Netextender pros

Cons

"If the solution had a more advanced DNS, it would be an improvement."

"Their VAS product should be more productive because right now, we are using other VAS solutions but not using this one."

"I'd like to see support for reverse proxy and more security features."

"The solution has unnecessary limitations."

"If there is an increase in the customer infrastructure, it is not stable."

"It's extremely complicated and it's not intuitive. The solution requires a lot of training to get going on it."

"The initial setup is not straightforward."

"The dashboard or interface should be more clear in reporting issues. Integration with other applications should be more user-friendly."

More Citrix Gateway cons

"The initial setup of SonicWall Netextender is straightforward. The only issue we encountered was with relocating the VPN appliance. If we needed to move it from an on-premise to an on-cloud architecture, we had to start over and redeploy it from scratch. Unfortunately, it is not portable and any changes to its physical location often result in the need for a fresh deployment to ensure everything functions properly."

"SonicWall can be difficult for some people, but I don't find it difficult. Some companies provide a VPN client for free, but you have to pay for NetExtender."

"Right now, you have to load each license on to an appliance. You can't pool across multiple appliances. So, you end up having to do a lot of administrative work to recover if an internet provider goes down, and you cannot leverage it as easily into a DR solution."

"The UI could be a little better."

"Sometimes you can get bounced around through the departments until you find the right one. Sometimes if you don't have the most current support contract or your license is out of date, they won't even talk to you."

"In future releases, introductions of AI features would be really helpful."

"The Netextender application itself doesn't really look pretty, however, we can still use it. We don't care what it looks like. That said, if they did a cosmetic update, that would be fine."

"If the customer starts with a two, three, four, or 500 meg connection and has a small unit, they have to replace the whole box when upgrading to a gig, so scalability there is atrocious."

More SonicWall Netextender cons

Pricing and Cost Advice

"There is a need to make yearly payments for licensing purposes. Also, it is not an expensive one."

"It costs about 4,000 a year."

"I consider Citrix Gateway to be an expensive solution, generally ranging from $5,000 to $15,000 yearly, depending on the model."

"Usually with Citrix the issue is the pricing, especially for the African region. We believe it's really expensive."

"It is expensive and requires proper planning with strategy."

"There are two or three different models, but you can actually have a CapEx where you purchase the unit outright and then there's a yearly maintenance cost on top for years two and three, and four, or you can actually do a subscription purchase through Citrix cloud and you pay on a monthly basis, or you can have a three-year subscription contract as well. I give the solution a six out of ten for its cost."

"Citrix is quite expensive."

"Pricing is very high if you do a comparison with what is available in the market."

More Citrix Gateway pricing and cost advice

"The solution is cheap itself, not too costly."

"The solution has a pretty good price."

"The price of SonicWall Netextender is reasonable. Whether it's a small shop with only five users or a larger operation with 130 users, we have received no complaints or objections regarding cost from any of the clients we are looking to deploy it with."

"Cost wise, it would be a few hundred dollars for the base appliance with the first five clients. Then from there, your cost per seat depends on how many you're getting. It's a one-time cost, and then you have a few hundred dollars a year for the maintenance contract once you get the one-time seat costs out of the way."

"After a certain number of users, you require extra licensing."

"Compared to others, it is cheaper. When we compare it with Palo Alto, Check Point, or Fortinet, it is a little cheaper."

"You have to pay for its license. There are some other companies that provide a VPN client for free. When you buy NetExtender, its license is available for one, three, or five years."

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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews

Financial Services Firm

14%

Computer Software Company

Manufacturing Company

Comms Service Provider

Computer Software Company

11%

Comms Service Provider

Outsourcing Company

Educational Organization

Company Size

By reviewers

Large Enterprise

Midsize Enterprise

Small Business

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	15
Midsize Enterprise	9
Large Enterprise	16

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	10
Midsize Enterprise	2
Large Enterprise	2

Questions from the Community

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Citrix Gateway?

The price is one aspect, but technically it is complete. Technically, it is really complete.

See all answers

What needs improvement with Citrix Gateway?

It's difficult to say that because Citrix Gateway is changing all the time. It is improving all the time, and I think that it is periodically giving us patches. Anything that I can think to be impr...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for Citrix Gateway?

I participate in integrator projects over the last year or two. Citrix Gateway is used in both my company and my customer's companies.

See all answers

What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for SonicWall Netextender?

The pricing for my experience with the setup cost and licensing of SonicWall Netextender is fair. The Netextender itself has no cost. It's the SSL licensing that is attached to the SonicWall. It us...

See all answers

What needs improvement with SonicWall Netextender?

SonicWall Netextender has not helped with compliance, as it is not applicable for what I'm doing. I've put several feature requests in over the years and they've implemented them all, so it current...

See all answers

What is your primary use case for SonicWall Netextender?

Getting to local resources on a customer's network is my main use case with SonicWall Netextender or SonicWall SSL-VPN. As a managed service provider, all my customers have SonicWalls and I get int...

See all answers

Comparisons

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Compared 15% of the time

Cisco Secure Client (including AnyConnect) vs Citrix Gateway

Compared 10% of the time

Prisma Access by Palo Alto Networks vs Citrix Gateway

Compared 10% of the time

Fortinet FortiClient vs Citrix Gateway

Compared 9% of the time

Ivanti Connect Secure vs Citrix Gateway

Compared 7% of the time

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OpenVPN Access Server vs SonicWall Netextender

Compared 30% of the time

SonicWall Connect Tunnel vs SonicWall Netextender

Compared 16% of the time

SonicWall SMA vs SonicWall Netextender

Compared 10% of the time

Fortinet FortiClient vs SonicWall Netextender

Compared 10% of the time

Check Point Harmony SASE (formerly Perimeter 81) vs SonicWall Netextender

Compared 3% of the time

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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide

Citrix Gateway

January 2026

Download Citrix Gateway product report

Buyer's Guide

SonicWall Netextender

January 2026

Download SonicWall Netextender product report

Also Known As

Citrix NetScaler Unified Gateway

No data available

Overview

Citrix Gateway is a customer-managed solution that can be deployed on premises or on any public cloud, such as AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud Platform. Citrix Gateway provides users with secure access and single sign-on to all the virtual, SaaS and web applications they need to be productive.

Citrix

SonicWall Netextender provides secure remote access, supporting remote work with valuable features like two-factor authentication, low latency, and integration with Microsoft identity management.

SonicWall Netextender facilitates secure client-to-site VPN connections for remote staff, integrating seamlessly with Microsoft identity management and using existing credentials like Active Directory. Its cost-effectiveness and detailed documentation attract enterprises in sectors such as insurance, healthcare, and education. Despite excellent control over routing, the intuitive setup could be improved, with users experiencing performance and licensing flexibility issues, especially with multi-factor authentication. While integration with SAML ensures seamless authentication, high bandwidth consumption and the outdated interface are mentioned for enhancement. Overall, SonicWall Netextender supports remote file transfers and access to Microsoft 365 portals, although additional features like automatic connection on startup and AI integration would address current user demands.

What features does SonicWall Netextender offer?

Remote Work Support: Facilitates secure connections for remote staff
Integration with Microsoft Identity Management: Connects effortlessly using existing credentials
Two-Factor Authentication: Enhances security during remote access
Low Latency and High Stability: Ensures uninterrupted remote connections
Cost-effectiveness: Attracts organizations with budget-friendly options

What benefits should users look for in reviews?

Secure Access: Reliable protection for remote file transfers
Ease of Setup: Quick deployment with minimal IT disruption
Flexible Integration: Utilizes existing credentials for seamless user experience
Documentation: Comprehensive guides for efficient setup and use

Enterprises from insurance, healthcare, and education sectors benefit from SonicWall Netextender by enabling secure remote or hybrid work. Companies facilitate efficient management of remote work, providing access to corporate resources from any location. Challenges include the authentication setup, but its support for remote access to Microsoft 365 and secure file transfers offer substantial utility for these industries.

SonicWall

Sample Customers

Aeronamic, Avianca, Bechtel Corporation, Betfair UK, Catholic University Leuven (K.U. Leuven), Centene Corporation, Cerner, Charityshare, City of High Point, Clark Builders

Information Not Available

Buyer's Guide

Citrix Gateway vs. SonicWall Netextender

December 2025

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